Process for vulcanizing rubber at a low temperature

Abstract

A process for vulcanizing a rubber base comprising at least one halogen-containing amorphous polymer at a low temperature ranging from 5 DEG to 85 DEG C., which comprises carrying out the vulcanization in the presence of 0.01 to 20 parts by weight of an organic hydroperoxide and/or ketone peroxide per 100 parts by weight of the rubber base. In the above process, at least one member selected from the group consisting of (I) the oxides of metals, such as zinc, lead, chromium, cobalt, nickel, magnesium, manganese, copper and iron, or the metallic salts of said metals with aliphatic or cycloaliphatic carboxylic acid having 8 to 24 carbon atoms; (II) methacrylic esters; (III) maleimides; and (IV) oximes, may be used as a vulcanization activator or a vulcanization accelerator in an amount of 0.01 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the rubber base.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for vulcanizing a non-aqueous rubber base comprising at least one halogen-containing amorphous polymer other than chloroprene rubber, said process comprising vulcanizing said non-aqueous rubber base at a temperature ranging from 5° to 85° C. in the presence of   0.01 to 20 parts by weight of at least one vulcanizing agent selected from the group consisting of an organic hydroperoxide and ketone peroxide per 100 parts by weight of said rubber, and   0.01 to 20 parts by weight of at least one vulcanization activator or accelerator selected from the group consisting of ethylene dimethacrylate, 1,3-butylene dimethacrylate, triethylolpropane trimethacrylate, p-quinone dioxime, and p,p'-dibenzoyl quinone dioxime.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein said vulcanization activator or accelerator is ethylene dimethyacrylate. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein said vulcanization activator or accelerator is 1,3-butylene dimethyacrylate. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein said vulcanization activator or accelerator is triethylolpropane trimethacrylate. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1 wherein said vulcanization activator or accelerator is p-quinone dioxime. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1 wherein said vulcanization activator or accelerator is p,p'-dibenzoyl quinone dioxime. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 1 wherein said vulcanizing agent is present in an amount of 0.5 to 15 parts by weight. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 1 wherein said vulcanizing agent is selected from the group consisting of alpha-cumyl hydroperoxide, teriary-butyl hydroperoxide, p-menthane hydroperoxide, m,p-diisopropylbenzene monohydroperoxide, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, methyl isobutyl ketone peroxide, and acetylacetone peroxide. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 1 wherein said vulcanizing agent is alpha-cumyl hydroperoxide. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 1 wherein said halogen-containing amorphous polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of chlorinated polyethylene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, and chlorinated ethylene-propylene-diene rubbers. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 1 wherein said halogen-containing amorphous polymer contains a halogen-free amorphous polymer. 
     
     
       12. The process of claim 11 wherein said halogen-free amorphous polymer is a member selected from the group consisting of styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubbers, natural rubber, and low molecular weight ethylene-propylene rubber. 
     
     
       13. Vulcanized halogen-containing amorphous polymer produced by the process of claim 1.